Golf: Colsaerts takes lead with record round

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Golf: Colsaerts takes lead with record round

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Nicolas Colsaerts took four-stroke lead after first round of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament.

20 January,2012 04:12 am

Nicolas Colsaerts birdied nine of the last 11 holes to set the pace with a course record nine-under-par 64 in the first round of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament at The Links at Fancourt on Thursday.The big-hitting Belgian jumped into a four-stroke lead in an event billed as the European Tours first true tournament of champions.On a hot, almost wind-free day, his nearest challengers on five-under- par 68 were South Africans Branden Grace and Thomas Aiken and young Englishman Tom Lewis.Colsaerts birdied all four of the par-threes and four of the par- fives.Colsaerts got his round going with a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-three second, pretty much the longest putt I holed all day.Because of the challenging nature of the course, he said it was probably the best round of his career. I kept hitting the irons very, very close to the flag, he said.George resident Grace, who qualified for the tournament by winning last weeks Joburg Open, said his round could have been even better.Lewis, who turned 21 two weeks ago, double-bogeyed the 16th but finished with two birdies. Having only turned professional late last year he said he hadnt even been aware that there was a tournament open only to champions. But obviously to be here with the players that are here, its incredible.Irelands Padraig Harrington got to six under but drove into trouble on the par-five 18th, then three-putted for a double bogey seven to join David Horsey, Joost Luiten and Louis Oosthuizen on 69.Harrington said his finish had spoiled what had been a comfortable six-under. He said the tee shot on the last was a mental error.Oosthuizen, who lives in nearby Mossel Bay, said the greens were in good condition. You can attack it a little bit but its still a proper golf course and you need to hit it straight.Home favourite Ernie Els dropped two shots on the first three holes but a strong finish, which included birdies on the last three holes, enabled him to dip under par with a 71.Masters champion Charl Schwartzel went out in three-over-par 39. Three birdies in a row from the 13th got him back to even par but he then bogeyed the 16th and 18th, both par fives, to limp in with a 75, one behind playing partner Darren Clarke, the British Open champion.